The UK Politics and EU Referendum thread - merged

[TightEnd]

George Osborne's Treasury adviser Rupert Harrison on the Tories' 2015 tax lock: "It's not a good policy. It's the product of a close election."

i think May desperately wants to can it, could be a rabbit out of the hat tomorrow if she thinks this might be the only election she can do it (so far ahead) and still get the 50+ vote

well there we go.  much more fair on an inter-generational basis

more to follow, quite an interventionist manifesto it seems

[TightEnd]

Angela Merkel says Britain will ‘pay a price’ for halting EU immigration http://bit.ly/2rtXqFE

[TightEnd]

an interesting point

"Key thing about Tory manifesto. May is prepared to trade seats for political space"

ie win by less to increase the chance of winning next time too

[TightEnd]

post manifesto

Click to see full-size image.

[TightEnd]

Tories to end Triple Lock on pensions and use the money to help younger workers instead - Tax Lock also axed;

https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/3588313/theresa-may-pension-triple-lock-taxes-conservative-manifesto/

[TightEnd]

Tory manifesto WILL include clear promise of cutting net migration down to tens of thousands, students will stay in totals

"A) Senior cabinet members pushed for students to be excluded, May wouldn't budge B) she didn't give timeframe to hit target when I asked her"

OBR estimates this will cost about £6bn a year in GDP

but she needs those UKIP voters.....

[TightEnd]

means tested winter fuel payments. seems sensible yes?

Click to see full-size image.

[TightEnd]

Big giveaway on social care is to increase assets you can have before paying some of your own care costs to £100k - big jump from £23k

[TightEnd]

Click to see full-size image.

[TightEnd]

Brexit negotiations: President Tusk reaffirms the lay of the land

http://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2017/05/17-tusk-report-european-parliament/

[TightEnd]

this is interesting if a little heavy

economist supports labour's keynesian tax and spend....

New post: But do the numbers add up? https://mainlymacro.blogspot.co.uk/2017/05/but-do-numbers-add-up.html …

[TightEnd]

always interesting to see it, on current polls

top: 1997 bottom: 2017

[TightEnd]

I really am enjoying Evening Standard editorials. Osborne free from the shackles opening up

Apparently not 1 senior cab member is with May on immigration cap

http://www.standard.co.uk/comment/comment/evening-standard-comment-it-s-time-to-scrap-the-tory-migration-cap-a3541346.html


and some commentary on it

Osborne mocks May's immigration problem in Evening Standard editorial.

http://www.newstatesman.com/politics/june2017/2017/05/george-osborne-mocks-theresa-mays-immigration-problem

[TightEnd]

another interesting read

Why has it all gone wrong for the Liberal Democrats? column in this week's NS: http://www.newstatesman.com/politics/elections/2017/05/why-has-it-all-gone-wrong-liberal-democrats …

[TightEnd]

IFS graph on income tax increases in Labour and Lib Dem manifestos

https://election2017.ifs.org.uk/article/income-tax-and-benefits-the-liberal-democrats-and-labour-compared

Click to see full-size image.